Other schools competing included the University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma State University, the University of Central Oklahoma, Cameron University, Oklahoma Baptist University, Oklahoma City University, Rose State College, Southern Nazarene University and St. Gregory’s University.

OC’s first-place team, the Eagles, won all three of its matches to earn the state title while OC’s other entrant, the Aguilas, claimed fifth place.

The Eagles included Jasper Bawcom, a senior majoring in teaching English as a foreign language; Gabriel Gasiorowski, a sophomore mechanical engineering major; and Megan McKinley, a freshman political science major. The Aguilas team members were Chas Carter, a senior English/pre-law major; Brandon Yeates, a freshman political science major; and Sean vanDyke, a freshman computer engineering major.

“God has blessed OC with very talented students, and we happen to have six of the best on our ethics debate team,” said sponsor Jeff Simmons, interim dean of OC’s College of Business Administration. “They are dedicated and work hard to prepare themselves. That hard work paid off for us at the state competition and now we are looking forward to representing OC at the Texas Regional Ethics Bowl.”

OC’s state championship earned a $2,500 stipend for travel to the Texas Regional Ethics Bowl in San Antonio. Teams from Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas will compete, with a trip to the Intercollegiate Ethics Bowl in Orange County, California, on the line.

“A strength of OC’s accounting program is our emphasis on strong, ethical behavior,” said Elaine Kelly, associate professor of accounting and holder of the J.J. Millican chair at OC. “It is very beneficial for our students to learn the consequences of what happens when someone chooses an unethical course of action. It is also important to address how someone can choose to recover from an unethical decision and seek redemption by their actions.”

In 2005, Myers pled guilty to felony charges for his role in the $11 billion scandal at WorldCom. He admitted to instructing the accounting department to make financial adjustments to fit Wall Street expectations during a period of declining profitability.

Myers was sentenced to one year and one day in federal prison, a lighter sentence due to his cooperation with the government and the remorse he showed for his actions. The judge praised Myers for quickly admitting his mistake and working with the government before a plea deal was offered. At his sentencing, Myers expressed his regret.

"At the time I consider to be the single most critical character-defining moment of my life, I failed," he said. "As I teach my children what is right and what is wrong, I've got to acknowledge that I did something that was not just wrong, but horribly wrong."

Since then, Myers has donated a substantial amount of time speaking to universities and organizations across the country. He shares the lessons he learned and the consequences his decisions had on his family and the lives of many others.

“As Christians, we believe in the redemptive process,” said Jeff Simmons, associate professor of business and interim dean of the School of Business Administration. “We all have the ability to change our course of action. I think what David is doing today will help others keep from making the same mistake.”

Certified Public Accountants who attend the seminar will be able to earn one hour of professional credit. Online registration for the event is available at www.oc.edu/events/ethics-symposium. For more information, call (405) 425-5560, or contact Elaine Kelly at elaine.kelly@oc.edu.

Today, Myers is owner and CFO of Sunflower Home Health in Mississippi. Prior to joining WorldCom, he was the CFO and Treasurer of Lamar Life Insurance Group. He also worked for Ernst & Young in their Houston, Texas, and Jackson, Mississippi, offices. Myers received bachelor’s degrees in accounting and marketing from the University of Mississippi.

J.J. Millican was a respected Christian businessman, faithful husband and father, as well as a Certified Public Accountant. He also was a national partner with Ernst & Young. Previous symposium speakers have included Enron whistle-blower Sherron Watkins, nationally-known tax expert Susan Hamill, and championship football coach Gene Stallings.

-- ]]>Thu, 16 Oct 2014 15:00:00 CDT5983d782-6cdf-4c75-a8fe-ca47807f8750Professor celebrates 20 years of AMA perfect attendancehttp://www.oc.edu/news/r/professor-celebrates-20-years-of-ama-perfect-attendance/
Burt Smith has been present for every one of the 199 meetings of the Oklahoma City chapter of the American Marketing Association since he became a member in 1994. After his 200th meeting on Thursday, Smith will celebrate 20 years of perfect attendance.

“It’s been an awfully good run, and I can’t thank AMA enough for the impact it has had on my career,” said Smith, a professor of marketing and management at Oklahoma Christian University and a business consultant. “AMA has provided me and my students with access to the sharpest minds in the state. I’ve really enjoyed showcasing OC and helping students land great jobs and internships.”

Given Smith’s service to AMA, it is only fitting that he would be the first local member to achieve perfect attendance over two decades. Smith was the youngest person named to AMA-OKC’s board in 1995, and he is a past president of the chapter, which received its first National Chapter Excellence Award under his leadership.

Just a few years ago, the chapter renamed its lifetime achievement award in Smith’s honor.

“Dr. Burt has been an integral part of AMA-OKC during the last 20 years,” said Stewart Law, an OC alumnus and the chapter’s president-elect and a research manager at Evolve Research. “Today, he still volunteers his time and expertise as a trusted advisor to the board and even gives a free copy of his book to every new member. As his former student, I can say that his passion for marketing knows no bounds.”

Smith made the decision to aim for 20 years of perfect attendance a few years ago, after realizing the goal was attainable, even if it meant adjusting his family vacations.

“I’ve always believed in ongoing professional service and the need to stay involved in the industry, especially as a past-president,” Smith said. “About five years ago, I realized I had not missed a meeting and decided to go for 20 years. I always appreciated those past-presidents who supported me during my presidency, so I've tried to play that role myself over the years. As long as they will have me, I’ll keep attending.”

“I would like to extend a ‘congratulations’ from everyone involved with AMA-OKC for Dr. Burt’s 20 years of involvement and support,” said current AMA-OKC chapter president Lindsey Funk, a marketing strategist at VI Marketing and Branding. “Dr. Burt is always willing to lend a helping hand or an encouraging word of advice to the board and the membership. We hope for many more years to come.”

In addition to teaching undergraduate marketing classes at OC, Smith is an advisor and professor in the MBA program. In 2009, he was honored with the Gaylord Chair of Distinguished Teaching award. He co-founded OC’s student chapter of the American Marketing Association and serves as a sponsor.

Smith co-founded and now solely owns EMI Research Solutions, a market research consultancy, and has served clients such as Cox Communications, OG&E, Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Subway and the Oklahoma City Zoo.

He was the first Oklahoman to earn the AMA’s Professional Certified Marketer designation. He is one of less than 1,600 professionals worldwide to hold the Sales and Marketing Executive International’s Certified Marketing Executive designation, and he also holds a Certified Quality Manager designation from the American Society for Quality. Smith is the only professional in the world to hold these designations as well as a doctorate.

Smith has served on the board of directors of the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce and was the certification chair for the Oklahoma City Chapter of the Sales and Marketing Executives International. He was also named in the Journal Record’s Centennial Class of Achievers Under 40, as well as the inaugural class of Business OKC’s 40 Under 40.

Smith became an auctioneer at 17 to fund his college education. He was the 2002 Oklahoma State Champion Auctioneer and has raised more than $1.3 million for charities across Oklahoma and Texas.

In 2007, Smith published his first book, “The Great Game of Networking,” and he regularly blogs at www.drBURT.com. He is also a past-president and two-time member of the year for the Oklahoma City chapter of the National Speakers Association. Smith resides in Edmond with his wife, Terri, whom he met through AMA, and his son, Dalton.

-OC-

-- ]]>Tue, 07 Oct 2014 15:00:00 CDTfb5a7d4f-93fb-44a8-ab8b-4c0b32400ad1OC lands on U.S. News ‘Best Regional University’ and A+ listshttp://www.oc.edu/news/r/oc-lands-on-us-news-best-regional-university-and-a-plus-lists/
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – Oklahoma Christian University (OC) ranks among the top 40 regional universities in the western United States, according to U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Colleges 2015” guidebook.

Oklahoma Christian rose to No. 40 in this year’s 15-state western rankings and is the No. 2 Oklahoma school in the “Best Regional Universities” category.

In addition to having the most National Merit Finalists per capita of all Church of Christ universities, Oklahoma Christian earned recognition on the U.S. News & World Report list of “A+ Schools for B Students,” which identifies great colleges where scholars with high school GPAs in the B range can be accepted and thrive.

This is the 16th straight year U.S. News & World Report has honored Oklahoma Christian.

“We are thrilled to be honored again as one of the best universities in the west,” OC president John deSteiguer said. “I’m also proud of this recognition of our A+ approach to B students. It speaks to the heart and quality of our professors, who work alongside our students to bring out their best and help them discover their gifts.”

The U.S. News & World Report Best College rankings assess seven broad categories: undergraduate academic reputation, graduation and retention rates, faculty resources, student selectivity, financial resources, alumni giving, and graduation rates. The full rankings are available online at www.usnews.com/colleges.

OC’s academic reputation is further seen in placement rates at or near 100 percent for accounting, communication design, history, interior design, language and literature, nursing, and political science graduates seeking jobs or acceptance into graduate school and law school.

OC biology graduates have a 95 percent medical and graduate school acceptance rate, and 100 percent of OC Honors Program graduates have been accepted to graduate school the past four years. OC’s chapter of the National History Honor Society has earned national top chapter honors for 17 straight years.

OC also boasts the second-highest state education certification exam pass rate in Oklahoma, and is on the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll.

Oklahoma Christian offers undergraduate programs in more than 60 fields of study, an undergraduate Honors Program and graduate programs in accountancy, business administration, engineering, Christian ministry, divinity, and theological studies.

The last decade has featured OC’s 10 highest enrollments ever, including a new school record this fall.

The candidates include Innocent Kabandana, who will receive his master of business administration degree. Kabandana, who serves as brigadier general for the nation of Rwanda, is the highest-ranking military official ever to graduate from Oklahoma Christian.

The 25 recipients of OC’s master of science in engineering degree pursued one of four tracks: electrical and computer engineering, engineering management, general engineering, and mechanical engineering.

Mickey Cowan, a professor of accounting at Oklahoma Christian, will serve as Saturday’s commencement speaker. He has more than 40 years of classroom and practical experience in the accounting field, including 14 years as a professor at Oklahoma Christian.

Cowan holds three accounting degrees from Oklahoma State University and has been a practicing certified accountant for 35 years. He has developed and taught CPE courses for groups such as the Chickasaw Nation, East Central Continuing Education, Kerr-McGee, the Oklahoma Society of Certified Public Accountants, and the Propane Dealers of Oklahoma.

He has worked as an auditor for Crawford and Associates, executive director for the East Central University Foundation, Inc., and consultant for Bridge Enterprise Consultants, LLC. He is a frequent speaker on ethics for various organizations, including the state auditor of Oklahoma and the OSCPA.

Jones is a professor of music at Oklahoma Christian, where he directs the OC Jazz Ensemble. He has served as president of the Oklahoma Jazz Educators Association and was named the 2008 University Jazz Educator of the Year. A professional saxophonist, he has performed with the Oklahoma City Philharmonic, Lesley Gore, Frankie Avalon, Jim Nabors, The Temptations, The Four Tops, Wayne Newton, and many more. His upcoming album features jazz notables Tony Monaco, Grant Goldstein and Willie Peterson.

Price leads OC’s Gaming and Animation program, which The Princeton Review and PC Gamer ranked 14th in the nation this year. OC is the state’s only university, and one of just two in the southwestern United States, to be honored on the undergraduate list. As principal of Price Media Group, he has won numerous industry awards in video, animation, interactive, and print design. His students have gone on to work at industry giants such as Dreamworks, Sony Imageworks, Midway Games, and Big Idea.

Wright is an associate professor of New Testament in OC’s College of Biblical Studies. His scholarship explores the intersection of the New Testament and the early church with Greco-Roman philosophies and religions. His recent research has explored philosophies about music’s role in moral formation and in Greco-Roman society. His upcoming book is tentatively titled, “Citizenship in Heaven: Paul’s Advice to a Status-Conscious Church.”

Oklahoma Christian also presented awards to outstanding staff and faculty at its annual Spring Dinner. The university named Judy Davis as the Staff Employee of the Year. Davis has served as OC’s director of residence life since 2000. She has worked at Oklahoma Christian for almost 30 years, previously serving as a hall director, housing director, and director of campus life.

The Second Mile Award, sponsored by Citizens Bank of Edmond, was presented to missionary-in-residence Kent Hartman and associate professor of biology Eric Phelps. Hartman teaches Bible classes and a popular class on personal and family finances at OC. Phelps recently received a $60,000 OCAST grant to develop new training resources for undergraduate educational programs.

The undergraduate degree candidates, including 21 graduates from OC’s Honors Program, come from 28 states and 11 countries. They majored in a combined 38 academic disciplines at Oklahoma Christian.

The master’s degree candidates come from six states and seven countries, and represent 13 graduate areas of study.

Mark Brewer, senior vice president and chief information officer for Seagate Technology, LLC, will deliver the undergraduate commencement address on Friday. William “Chip” Kooi, a professor of theology at Oklahoma Christian, will keynote Saturday’s graduate ceremony.

Brewer leads all of Seagate Technology’s information technology operations worldwide and is a member of the company’s Executive Council.

His area consists of 1,600 IT professionals located in 20 different countries. His responsibilities include all business systems, factory information systems, electronic security, business continuity and collaboration services, as well as other traditional IT support services for Seagate’s 50,000 employees.

Kooi worked in education, pulpit ministry and inner-city ministry before returning to teach at Oklahoma Christian in 2001. An accomplished theological scholar, he has written for The Encyclopedia of the Stone-Campbell Movement, Leaven, and The Christian Chronicle.

The top two students, Willy Niyonteze and Fabrice Kayihura, were admitted into Delta Mu Delta, an international honor society that recognizes and rewards superior scholarly achievement of students in business administration.

OC’s MBA program in Rwanda started two years ago as the latest step in a fruitful relationship between Oklahoma Christian and Rwanda.

OC president John deSteiguer gave Saturday’s commencement address, praising the rebirth of Rwanda after the 1994 genocide and the dedication of OC’s newest MBA graduates.

“There’s no question about the lessons that can be learned and the benefits we all can enjoy through the cultivation of a global perspective. International education has the power to enrich you in unique ways,” deSteiguer told the graduates. “Your interaction with American professors at OC has helped prepare you for success. Just as their interaction with you has deepened their knowledge and perspectives.”

Other dignitaries in attendance included: Clare Akamanzi, chief operating officer of the Rwanda Development Board; Dr. Ivan Twagirashema, chairman of the Rwanda Chamber of Industry; Dr. Philip Cotton, principal of the College of Medicine at the University of Rwanda; and Dr. Nelson Ijumba, deputy vice chancellor of the University of Rwanda.

U.S. representatives at the ceremony included: Dale Dawson, founder and chief executive officer of Bridge to Rwanda; Tom Allen, country director for Bridge to Rwanda; Terry Neese, founder of Peace Through Business; and staff members from the U.S. Embassy in Rwanda.

OC alumni Tim Kaboya, Yves Iradakuna, Brett and Kelly Shreck, and Rusty Linden also attended the ceremony along with former OC staff members Bryan and Holly Hixson, who now work and minister in Rwanda.

OC’s delegation was led by President deSteiguer, Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs Don Drew, MBA Director Ken Johnson, and Director of International Programs John Osborne. Graduate Engineering Chair Byron Newberry, MBA Program Coordinator Angela Kopy, International Admissions Counselor Kelsey Herndon, Director of Creative Marketing Judson Copeland, Videographer/Editor Kris Strobeck, and student Abby deSteiguer also were on the trip.

The OC delegation’s trip also included a meeting with the president of Rwanda, His Excellency Paul Kagame. President Kagame visited the OC campus in Oklahoma City in 2006 and 2010, giving the spring commencement speech during his second trip to OC.

In 2006, Oklahoma Christian began the Rwandan Presidential Scholars Program, which gives Rwanda’s top students an opportunity to pursue a first-rate education in important fields such as engineering and business. Between 10 to 20 Rwandan students have attended Oklahoma Christian every year since, pursuing degrees at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.

Students can earn their MBA degree from Oklahoma Christian in a variety of ways: by attending class two nights a week for one year or one night a week for two years; by taking all courses online; or by choosing a hybrid method with some classes in person and some online.

Students can pursue a general MBA degree or focus on one of these specialty tracks: accounting, finance, health services management, leadership and organizational development, project management, or marketing. More information is available at www.oc.edu/mba.

The last nine years have featured the nine largest enrollments in OC history, including a record 2,424 students this year.

-OC--- ]]>Mon, 24 Mar 2014 10:00:00 CDT6dedb132-5f2e-4865-bdef-3da2ddda4364Eagles on Wall Street class visits New York Cityhttp://www.oc.edu/news/r/eagles-on-wall-street-class-visits-new-york-city/
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. - Oklahoma Christian University’s Eagles on Wall Street class left for New York City on March 14.

During the university’s spring break, 15 students and two professors will experience the Big Apple as part of OC’s Topics in Finance course.

Students attend the Global Asset Management Education Forum, interact with Wall Street leaders and learn best practices in investment management. The event is one of the largest student investment conferences in the world with more than 1,000 students, 118 colleges and 110 speakers from 82 organizations.

“This trip is a great way to learn about the world’s leading financial markets first-hand,” said Associate Professor of Business Jody Jones. “Students will also get to experience the culture of New York City.”

During the week, students will visit the Statue of Liberty, Times Square, the Bloomberg offices, the World Trade Center, the Museum of Finance, the New York Federal Reserve and the Broadway debut of “Aladdin.”

While OC students have attended the GAME Forum the last eight years, this is the first time a group has attended for class credit. The class includes a diverse mix of students with 13 business majors, two engineering majors, one math major and an international student from Burundi in Africa.

During the class, students also participate in the Chartered Financial Analyst Institute’s Research Challenge and manage a student portfolio of investments. The class also discusses how a finance professional needs to be guided by his or her faith.

Last year, students were invited to help ring the bell at the NASDAQ closing ceremony. Next year, an additional business class at OC, International Finance, will travel to Washington, D.C., for a similar experience.

Associate Professor of Mathematics Jennifer Bryan joined Jones on the trip. Just last year, the two launched OC’s first actuarial science program, which is available for students majoring in finance or math.

“New York City is the heart of the financial industry and the largest city in the country,” Bryan said. “I can’t think of a better way for OC students to learn advanced finance topics.”

Oklahoma Christian University’s ethics team took fifth place out of 32 teams from across the nation in the Intercollegiate Ethics Bowl Competition Feb. 27 in Jacksonville, Fla.

The ethics team debated on topics such as in-vitro fertilization, outsourcing surrogate mothers, the morality of FBI involvement in potential cases of terrorist coercion, and the use of off-label prescriptions with anti-psychotic drugs.

The top eight teams from the round-robin matches advanced to the quarterfinals, where it is win or go home.

The Eagles, who defeated the University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University on their way to winning the state championship in October, squared off against the University of Montana in their quarterfinal match. Montana, the eventual national champions, won by a two-point margin.

Sophomore Gabriel Gasiorowski is a first-time ethics team member. He said, going into the competition, the team put in the hours poring over cases.

“We discuss questions based off a series of cases that we receive before the case,” Gasiorowski said. “We don’t know the questions or which case until we get to each match, and so we must be well prepared for the dimensions of each case.”

According to Jeff Simmons, an associate professor of business and the team’s faculty sponsor, the team practiced every Tuesday and Thursday for about two hours.

“Unfortunately, the only time we could find to meet on Thursday was at 6:00 a.m.,” Simmons said. “At first, we discuss the moral issues involved with each case and the possible viewpoints one could take towards the ethical dilemma presented in the case. In subsequent meetings, we practice by actually presenting and debating our arguments amongst ourselves.”

Additionally, the team works on other debate skills – such as being able to present your argument in one minute, 30-second and 10-second intervals.

Personal bias made going on the offensive challenging, according to junior Jasper Bawcom.

“One of the things the judges look at in the competition is your ability to poke holes in the other team’s arguments, and this was sometimes difficult to do – especially in situations where you agreed with the other team,” Bawcom said.

Gasiorowski admitted that the biases made even establishing the team’s position on a case more of a process.

“We must be cohesive as a team of three people all with different ideas,” Gasiorowski said. “There is a lot of real debate and discussion on these cases in each of our practices when we are searching for our team’s position.”

Simmons said that the team had some tough competitors, including the University of Montana, the University of Nebraska and the University of Oklahoma.

“We are developing quite the rivalry with OU,” Simmons said. “In the past two years, we have beat their team four times and lost three.”

The most challenging opponents, in Gasiorowski’s opinion, were St. Petersburg College and the University of Nebraska.

“Both matches were extremely close point-wise,” Gasiorowski said. “While we won against St. Petersburg and unfortunately lost against Nebraska, both were very well fought on both sides.”

According to Simmons, there are usually 15 cases that a team has to prepare for the national championship. Most other teams have five members that assign and divide the cases amongst the team members so that they have case experts.

“Instead, I have every member involved in every case by making each one responsible for addressing the dilemma through the perspective of a specific moral philosophy, such as deontology, utilitarianism or Aristotelian ethics,” Simmons said. “This way we are assured of not having some of our stronger presenters idle during the match simply because their case wasn’t discussed.”

Bawcom didn’t know what to expect going into the competition, but he is content with the squad’s performance.

“I think we did well, especially considering that it was the first time on the team for each of us,” Bawcom said. “Hopefully next year we can do even better.”

According to Simmons, the next step for the ethics team is getting some much-needed rest. After that, he is pushing to add some strong new members who have an interest in moral philosophy and/or debate.

“I already have a few students on the radar but am always willing to consider more,” Simmons said. “We'll take the summer off but hit the road running next fall, holding tryouts at the start of the semester.”

Dr. Estep serves as the Medical Director of Occupational Medicine at the McBride Clinic. He also is a medical consultant for the OG&E Corporation and is Oklahoma’s Delegate to the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine House of Delegates.

Leger has been involved in the recording industry, news media, banking, and healthcare. He recently accepted a position with GE’s Oil and Gas division, where he is responsible for Global IT Commercial Operations.

Loeber is a charge nurse, a new hire coach, a preceptor for nursing students, and a certified ECMO technician at OU Children’s Hospital.

Jones is the Manager of Broadcast Operations and Technical Services for the Oklahoma City Thunder, overseeing gameday television broadcasts and operations.

Montgomery recently left the University of Mississippi, where he received the Lawrence “Shaky” Yates Award for Teaching Freshman Composition, for a tenure track position at Fort Hays State University in Kansas.

Ries teaches music in the public school system in Mankato, Minn., and serves as Artistic Director of the Mankato Children’s Chorus and director of the junior high and high school choirs.

Roberts has a private practice with the OSSO Healthcare Network as part of The Physicians Group in Oklahoma City and is Director of Endoscopy at Community Hospital in south Oklahoma City.

Tabor is a partner in the law firm of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, one of the world’s largest international law firms. He has represented General Electric in many transactions, including its $20 billion joint venture with Comcast for the ownership of NBC Universal and in GE’s recent $3.3 billion acquisition of Lufkin Industries.

Dr. Wisdom is a licensed Staff Neuropsychologist in the Mental Health Care Line at the Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Houston, Texas. He also is an Assistant Professor in the Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Baylor College of Medicine and serves as President-Elect of the Houston Neuropsychological Society.

Cave is the Outreach Minister at Del City Church of Christ, where he preaches on Sunday nights. Herndon is a minister at South Brooke Church of Christ in Tulsa and is involved as a docent with the Philbrook Museum of Art.

Russell works with Northwest Church of Christ in Oklahoma City. Glover is the senior minister with Oakcrest Church of Christ in south Oklahoma City.

Arledge is a Solutions Consultant with the Boston-based software company Kronos, Inc. Norton has worked in various roles for MidFirst Bank, including his current job managing the bank’s Commercial Sales and Marketing group.

Rose is an Assistant Principal at Cheyenne Middle School in Edmond, and also serves as the Youth Minister at Wilshire Church of Christ.

For the last three years, the cost of attendance for OC undergraduate students has stayed the same, making Oklahoma Christian the only university in the state and the only reporting member of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities that did not raise its total price. More information is available at www.oc.edu/value.

OC’s student teams recently beat squads from the University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma State University and other schools to place first and second, respectively, in the OK Ethics Statewide Student Ethics Challenge.

It was the second straight state championship for Oklahoma Christian, which also won the regional title last year.

This year’s Regional Student Ethics Bowl is in San Antonio on Nov. 16. OC’s preparation for the ethics contests includes weekly 6 a.m. practices, which the Oklahoman article highlighted.

Click here to read the article and to watch a video about OC’s ethics teams on NewsOK.com.

-OC-

-- ]]>Fri, 08 Nov 2013 10:04:00 CST33274edb-3bb5-47c0-9ebc-2d8c58356242Harold Hamm to speak at Oklahoma Christianhttp://www.oc.edu/news/r/harold-hamm-to-speak-at-oklahoma-christian/
Harold Hamm, chairman and chief executive officer of Continental Resources, will be the featured speaker at a special event hosted by Oklahoma Christian University on Oct. 24.

“Harold Hamm: Lessons in Leadership” is an invitation-only event in OC’s “Conversations with the President” series. The program will include a presentation by Hamm and a question-and-answer session with Hamm and OC president John deSteiguer.

With a net worth of $12.4 billion, Hamm is 33rd on “The Forbes 400: The Richest People in America.” The youngest of 13 children, he grew up in a one-bedroom house in Oklahoma before founding Harold Hamm Tank Truck Service in 1966.

He founded the company that would eventually become known as Continental Resources in 1967 and has served as chief executive officer since its inception.

Both of OC’s student teams won all three of their matches to finish first and second, respectively.

OC’s first-place team (the Talons) beat peers from Rose State College, the University of Oklahoma, and Oklahoma State University.

OC’s runnerup squad (the Eagles) defeated teams from Cameron University, Oklahoma, and Oklahoma State. The Talons claimed the championship over their OC classmates by virtue of overall point differential.

Host school Oklahoma City University, Southern Nazarene University, the University of Central Oklahoma, and the University of Tulsa also had teams competing.

OC’s Talons team was composed of Jasper Bawcom, Hunter Farhat and Gabriel Gasiorowski. The Eagles team members were Hannah Ketring, Chas Carter and Ryan Fuller.

“I am proud of our students’ commitment to excellence and of how they’ve embraced the importance of ethics in the business world,” said sponsor Jeff Simmons, associate professor of business at Oklahoma Christian. “We spent the past month doing weekly practice sessions at six o’clock in the morning, and their hard work paid off in a big way.”

PTPI honored Stansberry, a 1977 Oklahoma Christian graduate and member of OC’s Board of Trustees, for his service as chairman of the PTPI Board of Directors from 2009 to 2013 and for his 2013 role as acting CEO of worldwide operations.

Mary Jean Eisenhower said that Stansberry had been instrumental in launching the organization’s landmine initiative, establishing chapters, and leading Operational International Children school kit efforts in Haiti and throughout the world.

“In my travels throughout the world for PTPI, I have had the honor along with the opportunity of meeting and working with many amazing individuals associated with our programs. I have learned so much about the world’s diverse cultures and have formed countless friendships,” Stansberry said. “PTPI’s mission is to enhance international understanding and friendship through educational, cultural, and humanitarian activities. We are extremely proud of the growth in terms of membership and also in the types of initiatives offered along with the outreach the organization has had.”

The first recipient of the PTPI Inner Circle Award Medallion was presented to President Dwight Eisenhower, the founder of PTPI. Founded in 1956, PTPI has a presence in 135 countries, with more than 80,000 families and individuals participating in student and adult programs.

Associate Professor of Business Finance Jody Jones said the actuarial science industry is ranked as one of the best professions in the United States.

“Working as an actuary is consistently placed among the top four jobs in the Jobs Rated Almanac,” Jones said. “The profession offers high pay, high job security and low stress. With a number of recent OC math and finance graduates entering the field, we thought this was a great time to start a more specific program.”

Jones and Jennifer Bryan, associate professor of mathematics, developed the program in consultation with OC alumna Cindy Smethers, vice president and product actuarial director at American Fidelity Assurance in Oklahoma City.

“A few years ago, Cindy reached out to us looking for high-achieving interns,” Bryan said. “That experience has been great because her company has hired OC student interns every semester, which led to other companies recruiting our students. Those students have done excellent work and usually have a job waiting for them before they graduate. Our new program should allow for even more students to have that experience.”

According to Scott LaMascus, OC’s vice president for academic affairs, the new program combines advanced academic study with the development of practical skills that are in demand in the industry.

“This actuarial concentration allows students who have an aptitude for higher-level mathematics to pursue a career in an area that will only continue to grow as Baby Boomers retire,” LaMascus said. “Our professors have really responded to the requests of some of our most ambitious students by creating a demanding program that meets the needs of this growing field.”

Students interested in OC’s actuarial science program can major in either mathematics or finance, then choose the actuarial science concentration. Previously, Jones or Bryan created different plans for individual students.

Jones also feels OC’s focus on faith will make the university’s actuarial students attractive to employers.

“I often hear employers compliment OC on producing students who have a firm grasp on ethical behavior and a dedicated work ethic,” Jones said. “We look forward to impressing those values on our actuarial students as well.”

The Graduate School of Business will grant 43 master of business administration degrees to candidates from eight different countries.

Graduates earned their MBA degrees in general business or in one of nine specializations – accounting, e-commerce, finance, health services management, human resource management, international business, leadership and organizational development, marketing, and project management.

Fourteen candidates from five different countries will receive master of science in engineering (MSE) degrees from OC’s Graduate School of Engineering. The graduates specialized in electrical/computer engineering or in engineering management.

This class includes the 100th graduate in the history of the MSE program, which began in 2009.

Phil Lewis, dean of Oklahoma Christian’s College of Professional Studies, will be the commencement speaker.

Lewis’ business leadership experience includes work in retail clothing sales, management, and banking. His consulting experience includes conducting numerous workshops and seminars for business, industry, education, religious groups, and government in the areas of ethics, leadership, organizational communication, and strategic visioning.

He wrote the books From Boardroom to Whiteboard: A New Generation of Leadership, published by Tate Publishing, and Transformational Leadership: A New Model for Total Church Involvement, published by Broadman and Holman, in addition to four children’s books.

He also has written more than 100 articles and papers for various publications and professional organizations. He is active in the Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs, is a past national officer in ACBSP, and recently concluded a term as president for ACBSP Region 6. He also is a member of the Southwest Business Deans Association and the Christian Business Faculty Association.

Oklahoma Christian recently announced it will launch a master of accountancy degree program this spring in response to market demand and record graduate enrollment. OC had an all-time high 361 graduate students last year.

Recognized as one of the best universities in the western United States by U.S. News and World Report and The Princeton Review, Oklahoma Christian will now offer five graduate degrees: a Master of Accountancy; Master of Business Administration; Master of Arts in Ministry; Master of Divinity; and Master of Science in Engineering.

Elaine Kelly, chair of OC’s Department of Accounting and Finance, said Oklahoma Christian developed the degree in response to feedback from alumni and the accounting industry.

She said the growth in OC’s graduate enrollment also influenced the decision; OC set school records for overall enrollment (2,271 students) and graduate enrollment (361 students) last year. Oklahoma Christian’s MBA program has graduated more than 1,000 students since it began in 2000.

“We noticed in our MBA program, which has several tracks, that student and industry interest in accounting has been increasing,” Kelly said. “More companies are hiring graduates trained in accounting. Our chair of the Graduate School of Business, Ken Johnson, helped us see the advantages of our students earning a focused degree.”

Like OC’s MBA program, the Master of Accountancy will include one-year and two-year degree plans. Each course will last seven weeks, with all classes offered at night – and many online – to accommodate students who work during the business day.

Kelly said the MAcc degree will provide students the level of education needed for the CPA exam, and prepare students for a career in public or corporate accounting.

“One unique aspect of the degree is a business ethics course,” Kelly said. “Most accounting programs don’t have this kind of course. Our program requires students to examine basic ethics in the conduct of business from a biblical perspective and how that affects the decision-making process.”

“OC has had a strong accounting program for years and years. Experienced and insightful faculty, gifted students, and high-quality employers of our graduates have built our reputation for excellence and success,” OC president John deSteiguer said. “This new master’s program is a natural and ideal step forward.”

For more information, contact OC’s Graduate School of Business at (405) 425-5562 or macc@oc.edu.

-OC--- ]]>Thu, 08 Aug 2013 10:03:00 CDTe2f8007a-74cf-49ee-9660-a9c1994255d2OC’s marketing chapter wins national awardshttp://www.oc.edu/news/r/oc-s-marketing-chapter-wins-national-awards/
Oklahoma Christian University’s student chapter of the American Marketing Association received awards for the fourth year in a row at the AMA International Collegiate Conference.

Oklahoma Christian’s AMA chapter earned awards for Excellence in Fundraising and Chapter Planning at this year’s conference. More than 140 universities attended the conference in New Orleans March 21-23 to hear marketing professionals from across the country speak on the theme, “Live the Marketing Life.”

Keynote speakers included Jeffrey Hayzlett, former CMO of Kodak, and Nate Riggs of the Karcher Group.

The AMA gives students the opportunity to build leadership skills as officers and members and build relationships with professionals in their field of study.

OC’s chapter was chartered in 2008 and has quickly grown, attending the AMA Collegiate Conference each year and continuing to win awards for their efforts. This year’s officers include President Emily Lundblad, Executive Vice President Adam England, Vice President of Professional Development Nikela Sandoval, Vice President of Events Ben Britton, Vice President of Fundraising Salomon Murillo, Vice President of Creative Design Keely Gibson, Vice President of Promotional Design Kyle Baldinger, Vice President of Project Management David Sellers, Vice President of Communication and Social Media Jade Hayes and Vice President of Finance Alyssa Dickerson.

Eight OC students attended this year’s conference along with sponsor Burt Smith, associate professor of marketing in Oklahoma Christian’s School of Business Administration.

“These students have worked so hard this year to bring the AMA chapter to this level of success,” said Associate Professor of Marketing and E-Business Kerianne Roper, the faculty advisor for OC’s AMA chapter. “They spent countless hours volunteering for these positions. They have shown dedication to chapter planning, communication, community service, fundraising and membership.”

-OC-

-- ]]>Tue, 02 Apr 2013 11:19:00 CDTc8c6eae0-295e-4f28-9adf-baebc24aab44Smith works with alum to give back to OKChttp://www.oc.edu/news/r/smith-works-with-alum-to-give-back-to-okc/
For the second year in a row, the National Speakers Association honored Dr. Burt Smith as the Oklahoma Chapter’s Member of the Year.

These awards reflect Smith’s servant leadership approach to his field and his commitment to helping his community. In 2011, Smith served as auctioneer (another of his many talents) to help raise more than $150,000 for injured Oklahoma City police officer Chad Peery, a father of four facing significant medical bills, who unfortunately passed away in late spring.

OC MBA alumna Dee Patty, a former student of Smith’s who works for the police department, organized the “Taking Care of Our Own” benefit event.

“I remember Dr. Burt being so enthusiastic and excited about his work at OC that I looked more into the work he did outside the school. It was there I discovered he was also an auctioneer and worked some of the benefit auctions put on by actor Mark Harmon. I knew we needed to have him for our auction,” Patty said.

Patty has since been asked to be a consultant by other officers wishing to put fundraising events together for Officer Peery and other first responders injured in the line of duty in the metro area. She also has taken the “Taking Care of Our Own” name further to make it a nonprofit organization to continue to raise funds for first responders injured in the line of duty.

According to Smith, when people meet Chad, they were impressed with what an upbeat spirit he had despite what had happened.

“His ability to inspire has not been exaggerated,” Smith said. “I only visited with him for a little while because he had tons of folks lined up who wanted to thank him. In the short time I spent with him, I was impressed with what a powerful human being he was.”

Smith said he was also very proud of how his former student used her leadership and organizational skills to help make the event such a success.

“People have no idea how much planning, detail and just plain hard work goes into events like this,” Smith said. “Dee and her team can take great pride in the way they orchestrated these events. It really was something to behold.”

The cost of attendance for OC undergraduate students also stayed the same from 2011-12 to 2012-13.

“Affordability is a big deal to us because affordability is a big deal to students and their families,” OC president John deSteiguer said. “Holding our total price is the right thing to do again because we want students to get a first-rate higher education at the best value possible.”

OC’s undergraduate tuition will remain $18,800 for students taking up to 17 hours per semester. Average room and board costs also will stay the same for a total price of $24,975. Oklahoma Christian also is continuing its policy of not charging student fees.

According to the College Board, the average total price of private universities rose 4 percent last year to $39,518. OC was the only university in Oklahoma and the only reporting member of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU) that did not raise its total price in 2012-13.

“With more students being priced out of higher education, Oklahoma Christian wants to provide an affordable college home where they can discover their passion and use their talents for good,” deSteiguer said. “As President Obama said in his State of the Union address, colleges need to do their part to keep costs down. Freezing our cost of attendance for two years running is a big part of our commitment to do that.”

Factoring in scholarships and grants, OC’s average net price actually decreased in the latest reporting period for the U.S. Department of Education. More than 90 percent of Oklahoma Christian students receive financial aid, including performance and athletic scholarships, need-based financial grants, and governmental assistance.

OC’s Presidential Academic Success Scholarship rewards academic achievement tied to student performance on ACT and SAT exams. Oklahoma Christian also offers large scholarships for National Merit Scholars. OC has seven National Merit Scholars in its freshman class and 30 National Merit Finalists overall, the most per capita of all Church of Christ universities.

OC’s “no fees” approach allows students and families to better assess costs in comparison to colleges and universities that charge course fees and other significant fees on top of their tuition “sticker price.” Differential tuition will continue for students participating in nursing clinicals or taking private music lessons.

OC students can shape their costs with technology, housing, dining and other choices that best fit their budgets and needs. They also can continue to supplement their meal plans with the optional purchase of “Eagle Bucks” for tax-free dining at Alfredo’s, Chick-Fil-A, Jimmy John’s and the OC Grill.

Graduate prices will range from $400 to $495 per credit hour, with slight increases for master’s students in business and engineering. More information is available at www.oc.edu/cost and www.oc.edu/value.

OC set school records with 361 graduate students and 2,271 total students enrolled this year. The last eight years have featured OC’s eight highest total enrollments ever.

Oklahoma Christian, recognized as one of the best universities in the western United States by U.S. News and World Report and The Princeton Review, offers undergraduate programs in more than 60 fields of study, an undergraduate Honors Program, and graduate programs in business, engineering, ministry, and divinity.

In addition to its Oklahoma City residential campus, OC has study abroad opportunities in Europe, Honduras and the Pacific Rim. This year, Oklahoma Christian opened a Learning Support Center in Kigali, Rwanda, allowing Rwandan students to study in OC’s online MBA program.

The musical is based on the friendship between Peter and Jesus as told in the Bible.

The show will be staged in Hardeman Auditorium on the OC campus. Performances will be Feb. 1 at 7 p.m. and Feb. 2 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.

In its 14th year of touring, this mix of original acoustic music and storytelling has entertained audiences from Tampa to Dallas to New York City. The cast of 11 acts, sings and plays instruments during the production, which includes eight songs.

This year’s performances are the second time the cast has come to Oklahoma Christian; the musical also hit the Hardeman stage in 2009. The positive reception three years ago factored into finance professor Jody Jones’ decision to invite the cast back.

“We heard so many good comments after that first visit that we knew we wanted to bring them back,” Jones said. “Many who come to the show have seen it sometime before in its 14-year run. They like it so much that they want to see it again.”

A portion of the proceeds from the shows will help fund travel costs for a conference in New York City for students from OC’s School of Business Administration. OC’s theater honor society, Alpha Psi Omega, and Giving Tree Theatre also will benefit from money raised by the performances. As a fundraising event, Jones knew “The Rock and The Rabbi” was a great fit for OC.

“This is the most compelling way I’ve ever heard the story of Peter and Jesus told,” Jones said. “Plus, the message of the show really matches the mission of OC.”

The “Rock & The Rabbi” was written by the team of Danny Hamilton and Gary Richardson. Hamilton’s intent when writing the show was to create a unique approach to the greatest story ever told.

“We wanted to make the show very understandable and engaging for modern times,” he said. “We wanted to tell it in a common language, and we’ve been pleasantly surprised by how many audience members tell us they have to come back and share it with a friend.”

Tickets are on sale at www.oc.edu/rabbi for $15-$25 and can be picked up at the OC Box Office. For groups of 20 or more, call (405) 425-5590.

Oklahoma Christian, recognized as one of the best universities in the western United States by U.S. News and World Report and The Princeton Review, offers undergraduate programs in more than 60 fields of study and an undergraduate Honors Program in addition to its graduate programs.

In addition to its Oklahoma City campus, OC has study abroad opportunities in Europe, Honduras and the Pacific Rim. This year, the university opened a Learning Support Center in Kigali, Rwanda, allowing Rwandan students to study in OC's online MBA program.

-- ]]>Thu, 17 Jan 2013 13:33:00 CST3f3b654c-81d7-427b-b5e6-544be1c43942Ethics team wins regionals, advances to IEBhttp://www.oc.edu/news/r/ethics-team-wins-regional-contest-advances-to-ieb/
An ethics team from Oklahoma Christian University followed up its state championship with a victory at the 15th-annual Texas Regional Ethics Bowl in San Antonio.

Another OC squad placed third in the regional competition, which featured 20 teams from three states and included schools such as Southern Methodist University, the University of Arkansas-Little Rock, Cameron University, Oklahoma City University, the University of Central Oklahoma and the University of Oklahoma.

The regional championship qualifies Oklahoma Christian for the Intercollegiate Ethics Bowl on Feb. 28 in San Antonio.

Students from both OC teams will combine into one squad for February’s competition, which features 32 teams from around the United States and Canada.

“These students put in countless hours and worked together to get each other prepared for this tournament,” said sponsor Dr. Jeff Simmons, associate professor of business at Oklahoma Christian. “I am so impressed with their talent and am proud of the way they conducted themselves with grace and humility in their success. We are looking forward to representing OC at the Intercollegiate Ethics Bowl.”

The Association for Practical and Professional Ethics organizes the 10 regional contests and the Intercollegiate Ethics Bowl.

Each contest includes a set of cases that raise issues in practical and professional ethics. Teams prepare analyses of each case before the contest, then answer questions from a moderator in multiple rounds of competition at the event.

Questions may concern ethical problems on wide ranging topics, such as the classroom (e.g. cheating or plagiarism), personal relationships (e.g. dating or friendship), professional ethics (e.g. engineering, law, medicine), or social and political ethics (e.g. free speech, gun control, etc.).

The Russian delegation toured OC as part of the Edmond Sister Cities Program, which Oklahoma Christian helped found.

President deSteiguer presented the students with certificates of accomplishment for participating in the educational portion of the Edmond Sister Cities Program.

The delegation also went to OC’s theatre production of “Barefoot in the Park” and visited a biology class taught by Dr. Eric Phelps, a music class taught by Dr. Kyle Pullen, and an international management class taught by Dr. Don Drew.

Drew, OC’s associate vice president for academic affairs and dean of graduate schools, was one of eight community leaders who went to Russia as part of Edmond’s first delegation to Engels in June.